News from Scottish Seafood Training Network for May 2020

Notes from the Network Partners Meeting 14th May

Attending - The online meeting was attended by:

Helen Muir (Chair) - Dawnfresh Seafoods

Linda Hope - NESCOL

Donna Fordyce - Seafood Scotland

Jean Meikle - Scottish Seafood Association

Gordon Gibb - Polaris Learning

Gerry McBride - Skills Development Scotland

Ian land and Lee Cooper - Seafish

Key Actions:

1. Lee Cooper to circulate the question set from the 2020 Skills and Labour surveys for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Consideration is to be given to a short survey of parts of the Scottish seafood industry to gather additional intelligence on skills and labour. Led by SDS/SFS

2. Safe working practices in the seafood industry seminar. Based on current and emerging (Seafish) guidance, the Seafood Training Network will support the delivery of one or more webinars for employers on current best practices in ensuring Covid 19 workforce safety in the workplace. Key employers to be invited to contribute their experiences. Led by Seafood Scotland and supported by a working group.

3. Initial Covid 19 response on learning and training. A small working group is to develop a remote learning offer for the seafood industry and to identify how this can be funded, delivered and promoted as a matter of urgency. This will include elements from the SDS funded “upskilling project”, Seafish “remote training funding”, Seafish Network support etc.

4. A working group will be set up to address items 2 and 3 above, consisting of Ian Land and Lee Cooper, Gordon Gibb, Jean Meikle, Linda Hope and any other willing partner.

a. The group to meet online as needed with an aim to have a draft plan for delivery available for scrutiny by Donna at Seafood Scotland by Friday 22nd May.

b. The plan to include existing programmes that can be delivered remotely, and additional programmes as needed, for example auditing.

c. Seafish to host online meetings from Tuesday 19th May.

5. The four big questions were not discussed in detail, and will be discussed further.

The four questions are:

• What are the emerging skills implications relating to Covid 19?

• What are the immediate and short term skills issues/priorities?

• What are the challenges in relating to delivering skills and training – and options to overcome these?

• What needs to be delivered and are there gaps in funding and delivery?


Notes from discussion in relation to sector recovery

Seafood Sector Productivity and Skills : Restart & Recovery

Delivery of a coordinated programme of production and skills focused activity to enable the successful restart and recovery of the Scottish Seafood Sector.

Subject to budget availability and confirmation from the SF&D Partnership & Scottish Seafood Training Network

• With intelligence at a sub-sectoral level, ensure that the skills supply is meeting the needs of businesses and individuals

• Develop innovative solution to deliver skills solutions where physical distancing is in place in the work environment

• Consider how upskilling, reskilling, and bite size learning can provide an impactful ROI

• Provide businesses with support to develop bespoke workforce plans to aid recovery and capability